Wanted Info Please

[Jimlad]

Hi all

Been asked to try and find out something, value etc, about this muzzle loader, the barrel is 34 1/2 inches long, overall 49 inches long, very organic engraving with what seems to be a different metal inlaid into the barrel there is a name and date? but cannot make it out could be Ano De 1831, or 51, 61 action works, bore measures around the 3/4 inches

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture225.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture224.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture223.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture222.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture221.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture220.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture219.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture218.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture217.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture216.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture215.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture214.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture213.jpg
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture212.jpg


Thanks Jim

[Fronteria]

Taking it at face value made in France.
It appears to have original Paris proof marks.
I think it might have been originally built as a snaphaunce and modified to a percussion lock, the breech has been changed and has been fitted with a breech plug keeping the original hook breech to up date it to a percussion cap ignition.
It has the look of being modified and probably used in the north African Arab world it might have been built in France to be traded in the Arab world which at the time came under French rule.
Many North African Snaphaunce guns were made especially for the tourist trade and made to look like older guns that had been modified.
Or it could be a Khyber Pass special difficult to tell from photographs.
If it was an original French Snaphaunce it would have been made before 1725 and could be quite valuable.
North African/Khyber Pass Tourist special built about 1960 worth next to nothing.